Monday morning

 For a variety of reasons, this weekend was not much of a weekend.  My day off was interrupted and while I don't mind helping out a bit, I really lost the focus of what I had planned to do and things got discombobulated.  I am looking forward to some real time off and away from responsibility, which we are planning soon ( keep your fingers crossed or a candle lit, I really need a break!)

I have been making door hangings to decorate the front door of my place.  It's a small thing, but I really am enjoying the process of making small art.   I do not consider myself artistic in any way ( except MAYBE in my writing, which is more a release of anxiety than art) but the hangings are turning out like I want them to.

This month I celebrate my Celtic Heritage and put up one that says Erin Go Bragh on it.  You will see this draped all over bars- or would before the Pandemic.  It means Ireland Forever.  It is used for St Patrick's Day, which is frankly, weird.

From what I understand, in Ireland, St Patrick's Day is NOT a day to drink green beer, or get "tits up" in a local pub. NO ONE eats corned beef. That's the AMERICAN version, replete with parades and turning rivers green with some kind of dye.  My Dad said that when he was a kid it was a religious holiday and everyone in his family went to church (now my GREAT Grandparents were from Ireland so they were all here in Philly-delphia-haha-, but they celebrated it as befitting the Patron saint of Ireland)  Recently- within the last 20 years or so, the Irish caught up with the rest of the world celebrating THEIR holiday ( talk about Cultural Appropriation!) and have parades and the like, but really it was not a binge drinking day.  

Take a second.  When you hear that someone is Irish, what is your first thought.  A-  they like to drink a lot,  B-They have foul tempers and like to fight or C- why don't they have red hair?  All of these myths about the Irish, these stereotypes are firmly ingrained.  Do you think of scholars?  I bet you don't,  but there is a wonderful book  "How the Irish Saved civilization" by Thomas Cahill which details the work of Irish Monks to save literature and history while it was being destroyed in most of Western Europe,  Do you think of the indomitable spirit of a country that the British  have tried to wipe off the planet for centuries ( and yes I also have English ancestry , so I am basically a war unto myself)  Read about the potato famine- they purposely sent blighted plants to destroy the crops.  My dad said they then told them that the reason was they had over farmed the soil.  For years, people believed THAT lie,

So, on March 17 I will be raising a wee dram AND eating corned beef ( it's on SALE for goodness sake HOW could I pass it up) and celebrating the spirit of the Irish, fun loving but fierce when necessary.  SLAINTE!